Improvement in towel-racks



C. SCHERMERHORN.

Towel-Racks.

Patented Dec. 9,1873.

*hmenYu'L UNITED STATES A PATENT QFFIcE.

CHARLES SCHERMERHORN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOWEL-RACKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,367, dated December9, 1873; application filed J one 28, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES SCHERMER- HORN, of New York city, in theState of New York, have invented certain Improvements relating toTowel-Racks, of which the following is a specification:

I make metal hinged parts peculiarly matched together and embracingslats or bars of Wood, which are introduced to complete the rack. Theconstruction is adapted to be fixed on a wall or other vertical support,and with a folding part adapted to towels or analogous articles whenhorizontally extended, and to be put out of the way by lifting andturning upward a little past the "ertical posi tion.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front- View, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section, of thecompleted device with the hinged portion extended to support thearticles to be dried. Fig. 3 is a front view; and Fig. 4, a sectionrepresenting the device in its folded condition.-

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is a board, preferably of black walnut or other fashionable wood, andshaped by niachinery or otherwise in a tasty form. B (J are two metalparts connected by the pivot d.

It will be understood that there are two sets of these peculiar hinges,and that the bars extend across and connect the two into one framecapable of being folded up or drawn down, and thus extended, asconvenience may I dictate.

an abutment or stop to prevent the frame from sinking farther. When thefraane is folded upward and inward as far as it can go, the other edgeof the stop 0 may serve as an abutment to arrest the motion; or, ifpreferred, the folding frame may be allowed to incline backward untilthe uppermost swell or loop M strikes against the hinge B, or againstthe board A.

It is important that the hinged center d be held at a sufficientdistance from the face of the board A to allow the frame not only to befolded up into a perpendicular position, buta little beyond thatposition. In other words the frame 0 M N m a must be a little inclinedinward, so that gravity shall keep it in its folded position independentof the friction which the hinges may offer, which latter is evidentlyunreliable as a means of holding the device up after long use.

The hinged pieces, independently of the slats, are peculiar in theirstops 0 and loops M N r with the holes through the latter, and thusdiffer from ordinary hinges.

Ipropose to manufacture and sell the hinged pieces adapted to receivethe slats m n, and also to supply the article completed by theattachment of the hinges upon suitable boards A, and supplying suitableslats or rungs m 'n.

Although I have shown only two of the loops M N, and only twocorresponding slats, it will be obvious that three or a larger numbermay be used, if preferred. There may also be more than two of themetallic hinged pieces; or a device may be used with some success withonly one set of such pieces, by allowing the slats m n to extend throughand project about equally on each side of such single set.

I claim as my invention 1. The hinges B B O C, the latter being providedwith loops M N, and with the center (1 held out from the wall or boardA, as herein specified.

2. The completed frame-work described, having the connecting-board A andslats m n, in combination with one or more of the hinges B B O 0 1M N,and adapted to serve as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of June,1873, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES SGHERMERHORN.

WVitnesses WM. 0. DEY, ARNOLD HonMANN.

